PREDICTION CONTROLLER

Abstract: A prediction controller such that the number of memories necessary and the number of operations in one sampling period are small and detection delay of the output of the controlled system is coped with. An increased target command value Δr(i+M) after M samplings, and an increased output value Δy(i-K) of the controlled system before K(K≧0) samplings are inputted at the present time i in such a way that the output of the controlled system whose transfer function model is agrees with the target command, and then, the control input v(i) is output to the controlled system. The prediction controller comprises means for storing the increased target command value, the constant for the prediction control, the increased values of the past outputs, and the control inputs of the past; means for determining a deviation e(i-K) from the increased target command value and the increased output value of the controlled system; and means for determining the control input v(i) at the current time.

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a controller for machine tools, robots, etc. BACKGROUND ART The applicant has proposed a prediction control technique in EP 0 587 897 A1 which is effective under Articles 54(3) and 54(4) EPC. According to this technique, the first several step responses of an object to be controlled are sampled and control inputs are determined so that a predicted deviation is minimized, using a model which is an approximation obtained on the assumption that the increment will be attenuated at a constant ratio. Prediction control techniques utilizing a transfer function model of an object to be controlled include that described by Hashimoto, Kuroyanagi, and Harashima in "Prediction Control of Servo Systems Utilizing DSP", p. 990-996 of Bulletin D No. 9, the Institute of Electrical Engineers, 1990, and that described by Tamura, Nishitani, and Kunugida in "Model Prediction Control of Integral Processes" p. 367, Vol. 56 of the Memoir of Annual Lecture Meeting of Chemical Industries Association, 1991. The technique disclosed in EP 0 587 897 A1 requires step responses from an object to be controlled to predict future deviations. The step responses may be calculated by means of simulation if a transfer function model of the object to be controlled is available. However, this process is indirect and involves corresponding time and labor. The technique proposed by Hashimoto et al. wherein a transfer function model is directly used to predict a deviation has had problems in that a great deal of calculation is involved in measuring the control input performed in each sampling period; since the performance criterion does not include the term of control input, the range for prediction must be large to keep the degree of correction low, which further increases the amount of calculation; since a target command, output, and control input are used as they are, the data has a large bit length which requires a large memory and significant calculation; and there is no way to deal with a delay in the detection of the output to be controlled. The technique proposed by Tamura et al. has had problems in that it involves matrix calculations of higher orders, including inverse matrix calculations, when the model is at a high order or the range for prediction is large; since a target command, output, and control input are used as they are, the data has a large bit length which requires a large memory and a lot of calculation; and there is no way to deal with a delay in the detection of the output to be controlled. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a prediction controller which requires only a small amount of memory and minimal calculation during each sampling period, and which can cope with a delay in the detection of the output to be controlled. In a prediction controller wherein the output of an object to be controlled has a transfer function model of Gp(z)=(b 1 z -1 +···+b Nb z -Nb )/{(1-z -1 )(1-a 1 z -1 -···-a Na z -Na )} and is brought into agreement with a target command by inputting an increment Δr(i+M) for the target command at the M-th sampling in the future and an increment Δy(i-K) for the output of the object to be controlled at the K-th sampling (K≥0) in the past and by outputting a control input v(i) to the object to be controlled at the current point in time i, characterized in that it includes a means for storing the increment for the target command, constants for prediction control, the increment for the past output, and control input in the past, a means for obtaining a deviation e(i-K) from the increment for the target command and the increment for the output of the object to be controlled, and a means for determining the control input v(i) at the current point in time from: where vm, pn, E, and gn are constants for prediction control, given by equation (9) below. The above-described means make it possible to provide a prediction controller which requires only a small amount of memory and minimal calculation during each sampling period and which can cope with a delay in the detection of an output to be controlled, thereby allowing follow-up operations of higher accuracy. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 shows a specific embodiment of the present invention. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A specific embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to Fig. 1. In this figure, 1 designates a prediction controller according to the present invention wherein an increment Δr(i+M) for the target command in the future and an increment Δy(i+K) for the output of the object to be controlled in the K-th sampling (K≥0) in the past and a control input v(i) are output to the object to be controlled at the current point in time i; 2 designates a memory for storing increments for the target command Δr(i-K), ..., Δr(i+M); 3 designates a memory for storing constants E, v -K+1 , ..., v M , p 0 , ..., p Na-1 , g 1 , ..., g Nb+K-1 ; 4 designates a memory for storing increments for output Δy(i-K), ..., Δy(i-K-Na+1); 5 designates a memory for control inputs in the past v(i-1), ..., v(i-K-Nb+1); 7 designates a subtracter for obtaining a difference Δe(i-K) between the increment of the target command Δr(i-K) stored in the memory 2 and the increment for the output Δy(i-K); 8 designates an integrator for obtaining e(i-K) from Δe(i-K); and 6 designates a computing element which computes the control input v(i) through a calculation: The calculated v(i) is stored in the memory 5 and is output to the object to be controlled as an output of the prediction controller 1. Equation (1) is now derived. Assume that the transfer function of the object to be controlled is given in a discrete time system expressed by: Gp(z)=(b 1 z -1 +···+b Nb z -Nb )/{(1-z -1 )(1-a 1 z -1 -···-a Na z -Na )} Then, a model for the increments of the input and output thereof is given by the following equation. where Δ represents an increment of the sampling period. Since an actual measured value Δy(i-n)(n≥K) for the increment of the output until a point in time i-K has been obtained at the current point in time i, subsequent increments of the output are predicted using the actual measured value as follows. Then, a predicted value Δy*(i+m) of the increment of the output is given by the following equation. The coefficients Amn and Bmn are given by the following equations, where a control input in future is expressed by v(j)=0(j>i). A (-K+1)n =a (n-K+1) m=-K+1, K≤n≤N a +K-1 B (-K+1)n =b (n-K+1) m=-K+1, 0≤n≤N b +K-1 (a n =0(n>Na), b n =0(n<1 and n>Nb)) Bm0 in Equation (6b) is developed into the following equation where v(j)=v(i)(j>i). A predicted value e*(i+m) for a deviation in the future is given by: The control input v(i) is determined to minimize an performance criterion: Then, the above-described Equation (1) is obtained from ∂J/∂v(i)=0. The constants vm, pn, E, and gn are given by the following equations. Equation (1) can be rewritten as follows using the increment Δv of the control input: where Gn is given by the following equation from gn in Equation (9): INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be used for controlling machine tools, robots, etc.

Claims: A prediction controller (1) wherein the output of an object to be controlled whose transfer function model is GP(z) = (b 1 z -1 +...+b Nb z -Nb )/{(1-z -1 )(1-a 1 z -1 -...-a Na z -Na )} is brought into agreement with a target command by inputting an increment Δr(i+M) for the target command at the M-th sampling in the future and an increment Δy(i-K) for the output of the object to be controlled at the K-th sampling (K≥0) in the past and by outputting a control input v(i) to the object to be controlled at the current point in time i, comprising a means (2, 3, 4) for storing the increment of the target command, constants for prediction control, the increment of the past output, and control input in the past, a means (8) for obtaining a deviation e(i-K) from the increment of the target command and the increment of the output of the object to be controlled, and a means (6) for determining the control input v(i) at the current point in time from: where v m , p n , E, and g n are constants for prediction control given by the following equations: A,B: are coefficients determined by coefficients of transfer function models; w s , α: are coefficients multiplied by deviations in performance criterions using in the prediction control; c: is a coefficient multiplied by the control input in the performance criterion using in the prediction control; c δ : is a coefficient multiplied by the increment of the control input in performance criterions used in the prediction control; β: is a constant determined by the coefficient B; W: is a constant determined by coefficients w s , c s , c d and constant β; and q s : is a constant determined by the coefficient w s and constants β and W. The prediction controller according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a means (2) for storing an increment of past control input and a means (6) for determining the control input v(i) at the current point in time from: where vm, pn, E and Gn are constants for prediction control.

Inventors: NAKAMURA HIROSHI, TSURUTA KAZUHIRO, NAKAMURA, HIROSHI, TSURUTA, KAZUHIRO, NAKAMURA, Hiroshi, K. K. Yaskawa Denki, TSURUTA, Kazuhiro, K. K. Yaskawa Denki
Applicants: YASKAWA DENKI SEISAKUSHO KK, KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
Application year: 1994
Main classification: G05B11
IPC codes: G05B13, G05B21